Major Leaguer Ray Jablonski Dies At Age 58

November 26, 1985

Ray Jablonski, a former major league baseball player with the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, New York and San Francisco Giants and Kansas City A`s, died Monday of kidney failure at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke`s Medical Center. He was 58.

Mr. Jablonski, who was born in Brighton Park and was a lifelong Chicago resident, was the Cardinals` Rookie of the Year in 1953, when the team finished tied for third place under manager Eddie Stanky. He played 157 games at third base that season, hitting .268 with 21 homers and 112 runs batted in. The following year he started strong, with a .320 average and 76 RBIs by July 19, and was the starting third baseman on the National League All-Star team. He finished that season with 104 RBIs, 12 homers and a .296 average in 152 games.

He was traded to the Reds before the 1955 season for reliever Frank Smith.

Mr. Jablonski was better known for his bat than for his glove. A 1956 Associated Press feature described ``Jabbo`` as ``never a flashy fielder. But as long as he could rap home those runs, he`d win 10 games with his bat for every game he booted away at third base or threw away. He had a shotgun arm which sprayed his throws all over the landscape.``

The Reds dealt him to the Cubs in November, 1956, and after spending spring training with his hometown team, Mr. Jablonski was sent to the Giants along with catcher Ray Katt for pitcher Dick Littlefield and outfielder Bob Lennon.

Mr. Jablonski had looked forward to playing with the Cubs, and told Tribune writer Richard Dozer in January, 1957, ``At banquets they always ask me what was my biggest thrill, and I always say, `Being the starting third baseman in the `54 All-Star Game.` But I`ll tell you this--I hope my biggest baseball thrill is yet to come . . . with the Cubs.``

He finished his career in 1960 with Kansas City. In his eight-year, 808-game major league career, Mr. Jablonski hit 83 home runs, had 438 RBIs and hit .268.

Mr. Jablonski was a veteran of World War II and a member of the Polish National Alliance, Central Park post of the American Legion and the Weber Council of the Knights of Columbus.

Mr. Jablonski is survived by his wife Dorothy, a son, Raymond Jr., a daughter, Roberta Jablonski, and three sisters. A funeral mass will be said at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Five Holy Martyrs Church, 4300 S. Richmond Ave.